The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-10

slon ne aesoclaIon then ADJOURNED, 70 noos
again March %
The Liquor Question-The Individual and the
Citizen
To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal
The lower house of the late General Assembly
passed local control and hgh-tax bill for the
regulation of the liquor traffic. which put the
whole matter in the hands Of the people. The
Senate refused to take it up to consider it.
and one of the Democratic Senators gave as a
reason for this, that the temperance people are
not themselves united on any measure. referring
to the Prohibitionst or nothing class. Now,
this has suggested little further discussion OF
q view of the matter you have before permitted
in your columns There is class Of sincere
people who maintain that their con-
sciences will not allow them to sane
ton local control, or, indeed any other
measure but absolute prohibition on this sub
ject. Certainly the conscience is good guide If
it is properly enlightened, but very gross mis-
| takes are made otherwise. have before main
| tanned that there is point under all govern
ments. where the duties of the individual cease
| and those OF the citizen begin. No form OF gov
| eminent and no method of administration are
the perfect ideals of each individual member
| The basal idea of all popular government is the
merging OF individuality, and individual con-
/ sciences ceases necessarily where the general
1
4 for illustration: The State has tax or license
| law for the regulation of the liquor traffic One
| of these conscientious individuals is summoned
| as juror to try violation or
| the law The crime is proven, and the jury re-
tire to deliberate on verdict They cast their
| ballots to determine the matter. and their bal
lots go to tax the violation of law, and thus pun
| ish the vioator. Does this conscientious indi-
| vidual refuse to cast his ballot for the taxi OF
course not; because his individuality is merged
| into the citizen. A war with Mexico, in which
slave territory is to be acquired, divests the man
| OF his individuality and merges him into the
| citizen. He has individual scruples about ex-
tending slave territory, but he has passed the
| line of individuality into the realm of the citi-
zens duty and lis personal conscience has nothing
to do With the matter, for 1t is. the consensus
| and not the individual involved. There are
| scores of such illustrations that might be named
| but these will suffice.
| If individual conscience is q supreme law of
| personal action everywhere, and on all subjects,
| human law cannot interpose to control for the
| conscience is amenable to higher than human
| law, and the juror in obedience to that and his
ideal, would be compelled to refuse to tax the
violator of law which was itself crime, be-
cause it licensed men to do a criminal thing in
/ his view. And so we see that the enactment of
law cannot change the relation of iota
who claims a right to stand on the promptincs
of individual conscience in all moral aspects of
government If any is confused on this
point. let him remember that the Almighty
plainly told Israel that king would enslave
| them and bring curses and ruin to their govern
| ment in many ways, and vet, when they still
demanded king, He told Samuel to let one be
| crowned. We have in this striking illustration
| of the rightfulness of the consensus in govern
ment. and the complete merging of individuality
! into citizenship, for Samuel, and doubtless 9th
ers, were opposed to It,
Both experience and history make plain the
philosophy of the Almighty in this rule of DC
ton in government viz; That through suffer
| ing alone are men and governments brought to
| hipher FIRMS nd hue
| the ru If the majority is found to be in the
highest sense the moral rule. Who has not
. learned this, and who does not net upon it in his
relation of citizenship, flies in the face of the
Almighty. well as the lessons of all history
Now let it be said, for the fact goes with the
saying that the duty of the citizen begins wheI
the consensus is ascertained. 1t needs en-
actment into law to bring it. How is it with the
matter involved? When the question of pro
hibtion amendment was pending for submis
sion, the temperance people of the State were
} united in recognition of this phase of duty al
: citizens, for it seemed to be the consensus, anG
the individuality ceased with that belief
} But they Were defeated; and now tn,
> consensus is fer local control and high tax
> There is no mistake as to this, and hence
no individual can be in error as to his duty
The people are known to be more than 80 pc
cent. of this view. 1t may not be each individ
uals ideal, but it is each citizens moral duty t.
stand with the highest ideal attainable, and, il
my view, none can escape this duty and mora
responsibility.
do not say that each individual may not hav
4 his ideal, and in his individual sphere of mora
and intellectual contact with all others do hi
best for his ideal in government. That also j
his duty. But individuality absolutely cease
< when he is brought face to face with his duty a
= citizen.
< With continued division in the ranks of tenn
q perance people. it looks like we shall have t
suffer on awhile before we come to higher an
4 attainable ground on this liquor question, 1
Q splendid fight made for local contrc
o by the people during the last political campaign
Q and splendid record was made by the House c
y Representatives of the General Assembly jus
/. adjourned on this question. It must now
plain to all that il ever attain to highe
ground on this question, it can alone be on til
line just fought over. If all who have conyi,
+ tons in favor of advance shall see their dut
in the light of all the past, and shall merge ind
viduaiity into citizenship when the supreme me-
ment for action shall come, the advance is easil
d attainable. No one rightfully expect the !
,, per cent. to move to the 10 per cent. Samu
. and his sons went with Israel, as morally boun
to do. JOHN B. CONNER
J., INDIANAPOLIS Ind, March 8.
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